


Denial

by DaFishi



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, Canonical Child Abuse, Child Abuse, He doesn’t like feelings, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Mentions of Burns, Not Happy, Other, Ozai feels feelings, Past Child Abuse, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:08:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25790344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaFishi/pseuds/DaFishi
Summary: Ozai doesn’t understand what he’s feeling after Zuko is banished and Iroh goes with him.
Relationships: Azulon & Iroh (Avatar), Azulon & Ozai (Avatar), Iroh & Ozai (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Ozai & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 102





	Denial

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Periphyton](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Periphyton/gifts).



> Ozai feels bad. That’s literally it.

Ozai sat on his throne, carefully examining the courtyard from the open doorway.

He sees Azula perfecting her lighting.

But instead of Azula and her instructor, he sees him and Iroh.

He remembered when Iroh would laugh and fix his stance when an explosion would happen in front of him.

He remembers how Azulon would favor Iroh over him.

He remembers working twice as hard and getting half the appreciation.

He remembered being like Zuko.

His child. 

The one he burnt. 

The one he treated the same way Azulon treated him.

And he feels something stir in his gut.

A heaviness, dragging him down.

And Iroh.

His own brother.

The man that chose his son over him.

Even with everything he did to impress him.

Ozai blinked in surprise.

Clarity washes over Ozai.

He worked harder not for Azulon. But for Iroh. To impress the boy that helped him through everything. 

Realization crashes down on Ozai.

He felt….regret. Pain. Anguish. Empathy. For hurting Zuko.

And he felt betrayed and shattered that Iroh chose to leave with Zuko.

Ozai forces his resolve to harden. To put up his walls to protect him from feeling.

And he scoffs at the previous feelings of regret.

Zuko and Iroh were both weak. 

That was their problem. 

They would just bring the Fire Nation down.

They would be the soft spots in their glorious nation’s shield.

And they couldn’t afford a soft spot.

So why did it hurt to know that Iroh left him?

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos please!


End file.
